


One plus one is sometimes three

by Pfefferminztea



Series: Gravitas-Verse [4]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: F/F, F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-13
Updated: 2016-06-03
Packaged: 2018-05-26 12:14:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6238294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pfefferminztea/pseuds/Pfefferminztea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Anzu has a crush.<br/>And is definitely not living with them. </p><p>(In other words I'm finally getting around to how copyshipping actually started.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Katsuya

The silence you wake up to is eerie. These days, when you’re waking up in the middle of the night, it’s usually to the complaints of your baby daughter. Right now, there’s no sound except for the faint snoring from Mai’s side of the bed. So it actually takes you a moment to figure out what woke you.

Right, your bladder.

For a moment, you grope around for the light switch before thinking the better of it. Switching on the light might not wake Mai, but then again, it might. And she deserves all the uninterrupted nights of sleep she can get, considering she is pulling most of the night shifts right now.

Of course, your attempt to be considerate immediately backfires when, feeling your way through the dark bedroom, you hit your toe on the corner of the bed. “Ouch, motherf-“ Continuing to swear inwardly, you hastily glance over to your now-stirring girlfriend. But she doesn’t open her eyes, and before the pulsing pain in your toe has subsided enough for you to walk on it again, the snores are back.

Nature’s call is getting louder and louder, but for a few seconds, you still can’t help but stand there on one leg and stare at Mai. How the everloving fuck did you get so lucky? How do you still _feel_ so lucky after… it doesn’t even make sense to count the years, because where do you start? When you met? When you first knew you loved her? When you first knew she loved you? When you finally, finally got your shit together and asked her out? Sure, you prefer the way things are now, but… you wouldn’t miss the other stuff, either.

Just like, sure, you see why she puts in the effort to do her hair and put on make-up and you would never in a million years complain about those skirts she likes to wear. But. Right now, there is a weird crusty bit of spit dried in the corner of her mouth, and her hair is tangled on the pillow in a way that would make every nesting bird proud. She’s wearing one of your old t-shirts with a ridiculous ‘Is your name Polymerization? Because I could do a fusion with you…’ print.

And still, when you look at her, you feel just as surprised and... blissful as you did six years ago, when you thought you’d totally blown your first date, until she grabbed you by the collar and kissed you. Good thing she isn’t awake to see your response this time, because the romance is embarrassingly cut short by your need to run to the bathroom.

It isn’t until you’re on your way back, mentally half-asleep already, that you notice the light shining through the crack under Anzu’s door. Your bed is calling for you _really_ loudly right now, but there is a 90% chance that she’s up because of _your_ child, so maybe you should check in.

Your first instinct is to knock, but just in case Rory is falling asleep, you kick your little bit of good breeding to the curb and just open the door. For once, being less polite than you wanted to be was the right move, because your daughter’s head is resting heavily on Anzu’s shoulder. It’s probably just your imagination, but somehow, the tiny, tightly shut lids and the pursed lips remind you incredibly of her mother.

It takes Anzu a moment to notice you, she’s too wrapped up in the little dance she’s doing that apparently just put Rory to sleep. Finally, she turns in one of the swaying motions she makes, and spots you and your dopey, sleepy grin.

She mirrors it with one of her own, except – for three in the morning, she really doesn’t look sleepy. Motioning you to stay with a nod towards the bed, Anzu carefully bends over Rory’s crib and puts the baby down, tucking her in before she turns back to you. “What are you doing up so late?”

“I just needed to pee… and thought I’d check in on you.  You still sure you want to do this? She is our kid you know… I mean I’m glad and all but you don’t have to stay up with her…” You pull back the duvet with the little pink roses on it and sit down on the bed, waiting for Anzu to join you. Another great thing about Mai: for all her feminine habits, she doesn’t have girly girl stuff like this. Then again, she also has no need to compensate spending her teen years with a bunch of guys.

“Don’t worry, I don’t mind. I mean, I could do without the crying, but I’m glad I can do something to help the two of you. Besides, this was the deal when I moved in, wasn’t it?” Anzu falls onto the mattress next to you, and promptly causes the bedframe to creak and herself to glance nervously in Rory’s direction. There’s another thing your baby girl has inherited from her mother, though, and that’s her ability to sleep through such minor disturbances. Breathing a sigh of relief, Anzu crawls under the covers and grabs your hand to give it a reassuring squeeze. “I’m really happy to do it. I love that kid. And I was up anyway, so it’s not like I’m losing any sleep over this.”

That gives you pause. You’ve known Anzu to be awake at all hours of the night, but that was usually because _you_ woke her up. As far as you can tell, she is not naturally a night owl. “What _is_ keeping you up, anyway?” It’s hard to tell in the dim light that the lamp on her nightstand casts over the room, but it almost looks like Anzu is… blushing? “Oh, you know. Just. Thinking. About stuff. And then I wanted to stop thinking and started to watch a movie. And then I started thinking again.”

Must be some movie. When you decide to watch something in the middle of the night, the only thoughts it usually gives you are ‘am I watching another episode or should I turn this off right now?’ “What movie?”

Anzu leans across you to grab the laptop she’s set on her nightstand, and although she doesn’t touch you, for a moment you feel disoriented by her closeness. Ever since she moved in, it feels like Anzu has become emotionally closer and closer to you and to Mai, but come to think of it, you can count the number of times you’ve been _physically_ close to each other – at least for longer than a quick hug – on one hand. Apparently, she realizes the same thing, because when she leans back, Anzu hastily makes sure to put a few more inches of space between the two you. Instead of meeting your gaze, she pointedly stares at the computer, waiting for it to restart.

“It’s a German movie. There’s this… it’s about two people who fall in love with the same guy.” Yes, now she’s definitely blushing. You’re just about to ask why, exactly, that is so embarrassing to admit, when you’re distracted by her screen lighting up. The movie is paused, but even with the shaky quality, it’s easy to tell  that those are two guys on screen, naked – at least the parts of them that you can see – and pressed up against a wall, kissing.

“What the hell?” That comes out way louder than intended, but right now, you don’t care too much about waking up Rory. You care about what Rory already saw and heard before she fell asleep, although to be fair she probably didn’t understand it. Still. “Are you watching _porn_ with my baby?”

“What?” Anzu looks just as shocked as you now. “No, no, of course not! Why would you… it’s not even that graphic! It’s just a romance movie, with some sex scenes in it. I’m just…” She must realize how panicked and incoherent she sounds, because she stops and pauses for a few seconds. “Alright, I think I have to tell you something.” She snaps her computer shut again and places it carefully to her other side on the duvet. Should you reply something to that? Should you say something? It doesn’t _seem_ like the kind of statement that needs a reply. But Anzu doesn’t say anything anymore, either.

You really can’t think of anything to say besides a nonplussed “…Okay…”, though, so you just sit there and watch her bite her lip. Finally, Anzu takes a deep breath and turns to you, but apparently can’t stand to look at you for any amount of time, so she quickly averts her eyes again.

“I think… I might be bi. Bisexual.” That last word comes out mumbled, almost as if she’s never said it out loud before and isn’t completely sure how to pronounce it. “I know that’s not supposed to be a big deal or anything and you probably don’t care because of… Mai  and Yugi and all that but I don’t know… I just felt weird saying anything while I wasn’t sure. And… I think watching movies about characters who question their sexuality has… helped me be more okay with it? If that makes sense? That’s why I’m watching stuff like this. Don’t worry though, I didn’t show Rory any of the sex scenes or anything.”

Oh.

Well, there’s a situation you’ve never been good at. The first time you had to deal with it was when Yugi came out to you, and told you he had been… dating? In a relationship with? Having feelings for? the pharaoh. (You still haven’t figured out what exactly the proper term would be in this situation. Considering there really can’t be that many other examples for the same type of relationship, though – unless Ryou or Marik were up to something – proper terminology probably doesn’t matter all that much.)

Yugi was way too kind – and maybe too shy – to yell at you, so it took you a couple of weeks to figure out that awkwardly joking about how at least, that way you could be sure he hadn’t been looking at _you_ the wrong way, was… not ideal.

Mai, on the other hand, didn’t pull any punches in letting you suffer the consequences of your stupid reaction. She gave you exactly one chance to imply that bi girls are hot, anyway, and you sure don’t mind thinking of her with another woman, so it’s no big deal, really… What followed was a scathing lecture and at least a week of silent treatment.

Sure, you and Mai were dating at that point, so it probably went across even worse than it would now with Anzu, but you get the feeling that she wouldn’t be happy about it, either.

Maybe you’ve been silent for too long, though, because Anzu finally looks up, and you feel compelled to say _something_ , at least.

“Cool! I mean… that’s great for you! How… er… how’d you find out?”

The worried look on her face is replaced by a small smile, and the knot in your own stomach loosens a bit. Of course. Anzu would know how to tell when you’re trying to be supportive, but don’t know what to say. “There was… is someone, a woman, who I really like. It doesn’t matter, really, because that’s not happening. But I guess… she made me realize that I don’t just think other women are pretty, I really… find them attractive. It’s hard to explain. I couldn’t tell you when I realized, I just… know. Now.”

That’s an unfamiliar tone. Anzu has never been one to talk about guys like this – evasive, like their names are some sort of big secret, and pessimistic, like she doesn’t stand a chance with them, anyway. Then again, she has never been one to talk about guys much, at all. At least not with you.

“Why is it not happening?” you ask anyway. “Is she not into women?”

“No, it’s just… there’s someone else.”

“For her? Or for you?” Anzu smiles sheepishly, as though you’ve caught her on a topic that she was trying to avoid. “For both of us, I guess. It doesn’t matter. I just think it wouldn’t be good. But I’m trying online dating now. I went out with a girl I met online last week, she was nice. Not my type. But, you know. Someone else might be.”

Somehow, she doesn’t sound entirely convinced. Realizing you still don’t know what to do with the awkward silence between you, you push yourself off the bed. “Well, I guess that calls for some celebration. Do you want a beer or something?”

Anzu’s laughter and a well-aimed pillow hit you in the back of your head. “You call that swill you keep in the fridge beer? Nah, I’ll pass. I think there’s some leftover wine, bring me some of that maybe?”

Right. You’d forgotten the part where, ever since she spent two years in Germany, Anzu acts like she’s a beer gourmet or something. It’s not like she actually _knows_ much about it – not that you do. You just noticed from the way she always lists the same three names when people ask her what kind of beer she _does_ like, then. She sure loves to act like all the stuff you can get in Japan is horrible and undrinkable. It’s kind of cute, actually, in an annoying way. While you pour a glass of the leftover red wine, you briefly consider pointing out that Germany is supposed to have pretty good wine, too, and didn’t she learn a thing or two about that, as well? But then, you might never get to toast her coming out, and might be stuck with the awkward silence.

“So.”  You try again, once you’ve silently toasted and each taken a few sips. “Who’s this other girl, then? Guy? I don’t know… that other person you were talking about? Any chance with him? Or her?”

One. Two.

Again, the seconds until her answer stretch into a silence that feels like it’s making the air around you… heavier, somehow. Finally, Anzu leans over and places her head on your shoulder. Her cheek feels moist against the fabric of your t-shirt, but glancing down, you’re not sure if her eyes shine like that because there’s tears in them, or just because of the way the light hits them. The other thing might be an illusion, as well, or maybe it’s just the way she’s breathing on you.

“I don’t want to talk about it. Okay?”

No. Actually, not knowing something that makes your best friend look so defeated and tired doesn’t feel okay at all. But this doesn’t feel like the moment to push her to speak.

“Okay.”

For a while, the two of you sit there in silence, the only sounds each other’s faint heartbeats and the occasional sip of alcohol. After a while, the duvet between you rustles and you feel soft, warm fingers sliding between yours. If Mai grabbed your hand like that, you’d already have marks from her nails. But Anzu’s nails are neatly filed down, not noticeable at all.

“You know. I’m kind of glad that you’re dating girls. I guess… I’ll be less worried that you'll meet some creep we have to rescue you from.”


	2. Mai

“Why are we doing this again?”

Katsuya casts a longing glance towards the café a few shops down, where every single table is packed with people chatting, eating ice cream and generally enjoying the lovely summer day. You’ve got to admit, even with the prospect of an air conditioned shop, there is a part of you that wants to agree. Sitting under a tree that keeps the sun out of your eyes, while still letting it warm your shoulders, and enjoying a tartufo _does_ sound more alluring than standing next to a dressing room for the next hour and a half. Even if Anzu will be the one who has to go through the ordeal of putting on dress after dress, and you’ll get to comment on fancy clothes without that unpleasant side effect. But then, the ice cream can wait. The pleasure of commenting on how perfectly ridiculous this scenario is can’t, not if Anzu is determined to find her dress, _now_.

And she’s not having any of Katsuya’s stalling anymore.   
“ _I_ am doing this because I’m helping out… a friend. _You_ don’t need to do this. I told you from the start you don’t have to come, but if you’re going to, can you just behave? I’m grateful for the input, but not if your entire input is ‘this stinks’.”

There’s some more grumbling, but Anzu doesn’t wait around until it forms into a coherent sentence. With perhaps a little more momentum then necessary, she spins around and walzes through the wide glass doors of the boutique, satchel bag bouncing on her hip. You decide to follow, and after another heartbeat or two, so does Katsuya.

Barely inside, you have to stop for a second to take it all in. Even as a person with ample enthusiasm for shopping and no shortage of cash, this is the kind of establishment you wouldn’t frequent on a regular basis. It’s the kind of place where every shopper is greeted by their own personal assistant immediately upon entering. The sort of place where expensive perfume hangs in the air, not as a heavy cloud, just as a subtle hint. Probably a suggestion of who _could_ have been there just before you. _You better buy this outfit or you’ll regret it when you see it on somebody else._

A few paces ahead, Anzu suddenly comes to a stop, too. One of the shop-attendants, a seaglass-smooth woman who doesn’t seem the slightest bit thrown by the casually dressed, slightly sweaty group which just stumbled into her store, is blocking her path. “Hi… um… good afternoon?” Anzu audibly struggles with finding the right tone for a moment. “My name is Mazaki Anzu?”

She’s clearly trying to sound confident, but the question mark is still apparent in her voice.

“I’m here to choose a dress that has been ordered by Kaiba Corp, I’ve been told you would have some options for me to try?”

 “Ah, yes.” The shop attendant’s face lights up ever so subtly, from politely disinterested to even more politely helpful. Her gaze flits over you and Katsuya for a second, and lingers on his slightly torn, slightly not-changed-since-yesterday T-shirt. However, she seems to decide that Anzu’s story checks out, and motions for her to follow while leading the three of you up a flashy glass staircase.

“I’ve taken the liberty of choosing a few things which I thought were most consistent with the style Mr Kaiba’s… escorts usually wear.” Anzu flinches slightly at that title, but doesn’t interrupt her. “Should you have your mind set on something different, though, we have more options downstairs and in the back. Once you have chosen something, we will send the bill and the dress to your work address, no further action on your part required. Would you like my assistance, or do you prefer to have a look around on your own first?”

‘A few things,’ it turns out, is at least 20 dresses and a hand full of suits. Slightly taken aback, Anzu misses a beat before she answers. “A little time to browse… would be nice.” One last suspicious look in Katsuya’s direction – but apparently the shopkeeper has decided that he is trustworthy if he’s with someone whose bill is taken care of in advance by as reliable a customer as Kaiba Corp, and fades away behind a counter. Katsuya, meanwhile, throws himself onto the leather couch opposite the dressing rooms, and follows Anzu with his gaze.

You think of following his example, but Anzu is trailing her fingertips indecisively over the gauzy fabrics, shifting hangers this way and that, never so much as picking up a dress. So maybe she needs some extra encouragement. Stepping closer, you scan the range of shades on display, trying to decide what will suit her. There are some white dresses there, which you quickly discount, and although Anzu looks fabulous in black, this is probably an occasion where understated simplicity is not the first thing you want. So the basic cuts in that color are also out. Finally, you find a short, poufy number in a plum shade that will go great with her hair, just as Anzu finally reaches for a hanger, too. 

“How about this?”

The dress she has selected is beautiful, a blueish gray with a long, flowing skirt and silver embroidery. Very classy, very tasteful, very… not what you had in mind.

“Seriously? Sugar, how long has it been? Don’t you think it’s time to give Kaiba… some incentive to snap out of his mopey phase?”

Suddenly _very_ interested in one of the other dresses, Anzu turns away and begins to examine a hemline, but the red creeping up her neck and seeping into her undercut betrays her.

“He’s not moping. He just. Decided it wasn’t for him. I wasn’t for him. Whichever.”

Considering how good Kaiba is at recognizing what is best for him, that’s really not a surprise.

“Well, don’t you think he’s for _you_ , though? You liked it, didn’t you? Maybe you just need to do some convincing. By which I mean, _maybe_ you need to pick a dress that couldn’t double as a habit.” Even though Anzu could probably play a very convincing nun. Judging by her dating life, at least. You pull the dress you had your eyes on off the hanger, and thrust it into her arms. “At least try it?”

Only when she reluctantly accepts the dress, and both of you turn to the dressing rooms, you realize the look of shocked disbelief on your boyfriend’s face.

“You alright, hon?”

He shakes his head as though unsure if there’s water in his ears.

“What – what? Did you just say Anzu’s into _Kaiba_?”

Oh yeah. On second thought, you never told him about that. No need to rock the boat. And apparently Anzu didn’t, either. Even now, she doesn’t seem too eager to fill him in.

“I’m _not_. Mai is just being silly. Just because we had a… thing, a while back, doesn’t mean I’m in love with him or something. Or even that I want to sleep with him again.”

So this is what people look like when they have a stroke.

“ _Again_? You mean you _have_? With _Kaiba_? Have you lost your mind?” His voice is rising decidedly above room volume, and you’re uncomfortably aware of the saleswoman shooting you dirty looks. “I mean, working for him and being his… ‘escort’ to this… this thing, that’s bad enough! But! You were actually hooking up with him? What the _hell_ , Anzu? Did you forget all the shit he’s been up to? And weren’t you…”

“SHUT UP.” Anzu has never been one to hold back when she needed to say something, but rarely has anything out of her mouth sounded so definite. Even though she doesn’t say it very loudly, the words carry such force that even  Jou’s rant is cut short, and he snaps his mouth shut with a startled expression. Recognizing the brief window of opportunity, you grab his wrist.

“Lets go. I think you need to cool off somewhere. Sugar, you’ll be alright? Call me if you’ve settled on some choices that you want a second opinion on.”

Anzu gives you a grateful nod, and although Jou looks ready to explode again, he doesn’t resist as you pull him out of the store. Only once you’re out of earshot of the fancy establishment, he turns to you again, face red with anger.

“What the hell was that? Don’t tell me you think this is a good idea? Kaiba is a grade A jerk and you know it! He’s not good enough for Anzu, and he certainly isn’t _good_ for Anzu!”

Silently abandoning your plan to take him to the café and try to talk some sense into him over ice cream, you watch in amazement as he continues his tirade. Not that it’s entirely new to see Katsuya lose his calm over Kaiba… but it’s also not something that’s happened much in the past six years or so. Certainly nothing like this.

It’s a good five minutes before he realizes how quiet you’ve gotten, and stops his litany of Kaiba’s worst traits to shoot you a questioning look. “What? Are you telling me I’m wrong?”

You’re not entirely sure. You’ve had your fair share of run-ins with Kaiba, and his recent treatment of Anzu hasn’t done anything to put him in your good books. But, on the other hand, he’s shown how much he is able to grow, and there must be _some_ reason why she likes him. Anzu isn’t the kind of person to waste her energy on someone who won’t give anything back, not anymore. So, if she’s still giving Kaiba the time of day, there must be something about him that neither of you know. But none of that is what you’re thinking of right now.

“No, I’m not. I’m just wondering why you get so fired up about this. I mean, I know you don’t like Kaiba, but this is also something that could potentially make Anzu happy. Don’t you want that for her?”

It’s clear from his expression how offended he is by even the suggestion of this.

“Of _course_ I want her to be happy. But I also want her to be safe. And loved. And taken care of. I know she can take care of herself, but she deserves someone who… recognizes that. And doesn’t just take advantage of it. Someone she can rely on. Someone…”

There is something awkward, stumbling, and helpless in his voice. Something you recognize with a sinking feeling in your stomach. Something that, a petty little voice in your head whispers, used to belong to you.

“Someone who’ll move in with her? Be her family? Raise a kid with her?”

From the way he squints at you, it’s clear that he knows something is up, but he doesn’t seem to understand where you’re going with this.

“Someone like you? Are you… are you telling me that you have a crush on Anzu?”

Although you mean to sound calm, and maybe a little joking – because really, how could he? With their kind of history, his feelings had to be either platonic or he’d be deeply in love and – no. So although you try to sound calm, the words come out stuffy. Strangled in that way that suggests a very bad cold or oncoming tears. And no. No, you’re not going to cry.

“What? Of course not! Mai, you know I love you!”

That, although you want to believe him, is not a total denial of his feelings for Anzu. And you can’t help but notice the little flinch he gives at the suggestion, the nervous way in which his fists open and close as though grasping for an explanation. Whatever it is going to be, you don’t want to hear it. You can’t hear it, probably, because the blood rushing through your body is suddenly so loud, it drowns out almost all the noise of the real world.

If this really is happening, you want nothing to do with it. You certainly don’t want to give it the time of day to think it through. To recognize that, actually, the two of them are pretty much made for each other. Or to wonder how long, exactly, he’s going to hold on to you, if he found someone who is so much more like him. Abruptly, you tear yourself away from his imploring gaze.

“I’m going back. Anzu can probably use some help.”

The sound of your heels drowns out his footsteps, and when he catches up to you, you refuse to let him into your field of vision.

“Don’t. I’ll see you at home.”

**Author's Note:**

> I just keep lifting my titles from song lyrics, so if you're interested, this time, the title of the fic (not the chapter) is from [Sing you Home](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wramop7SjCA), a song accompanying Jodi Picoult's novel by the same name.  
> I took some liberty with it since the song is about waiting for a baby and not welcoming a third person into your relationship, but since both are technically a part of this story, I think I'm fine. :P The novel is, sadly, one of the books that kind of ruined Jodi Picoult for me, because of its recurring (and unchecked) biphobic moments, but I still like the peaceful, domestic-fluffy vibe of the soundtrack. It has a kind of exciting-and-unexpected-but-still-familiar air that I'm imagining for these three, as well.
> 
> I'm still easing into the whole polarshipping dynamic, so once again I am taking major pointers from Kiwianna ;-), this time from her headcanons for Kasuya's and Mai's [first date](http://zapperlot.tumblr.com/post/138764738692/in-which-mai-plays-herself-in-attack-mode%22).


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